Crutchlow: Maverick's not dangerous, we all lose our heads sometimes

Maverick Vinales' immediate MotoGP future may be hanging in the balance, following his suspension by Yamaha on the eve of the Austrian MotoGP, but several riders have sought to put his offence into perspective.

Frustrated at multiple technical issues after last Sunday's restart, following an already fraught season in which he has negotiated an exit from the second year of his Yamaha contract, Vinales appears to have been deliberately over-revving his M1 in the closing laps of the race.

By potentially damaging his engine, Yamaha concluded that Vinales could have caused 'serious risks' to himself and 'possible posed a danger' to the other riders.

Some of Vinales' rivals felt the biggest crime Vinales committed was not so much the potential engine damage, but effectively giving up before the chequered flag.

Vinales, who has remained in Austria as a spectator (pictured), publicly apologised to Yamaha on Saturday:

"I've been through a very frustrating time," Vinales said. "It's been building up and I didn't know how to handle it [in the race]. I really exploded, emotion and frustration. I apologise to Yamaha, I rode wrongly in the last laps. I'm very sad. I didn't want to put any rider at risk."

Yamaha test rider Cal Crutchlow - tipped to replace Vinales for the remainder of the year should Yamaha make his current suspension permanent - explained the pressure and frustration that all MotoGP riders go through at times.

"Racing in MotoGP is always a privilege. Because we are privileged to be here, the same as 90% of the paddock will feel, they are privileged to be in the job they are in. The riders are privileged more than anyone, because we have the opportunity to race in MotoGP – obviously I'm retired, but you know what I mean, I've had many years of enjoying that," said the Englishman.

"But we all get frustrated. This job is the best job in the world, but the hardest job in the world, and a lot of the time, the pressure comes from yourself. But when it starts to come from people around you, then it makes it ten times worse.

"As a rider, I believe a lot of the time you are your own worst critic. So you have to manage the situation, manage the emotions, and manage the way. But we all lose our heads sometimes, throwing helmets or stuff like that. But not at people, at the situation, that I was not fast enough or whatever."